Transcript

Heaven: My True Home-Part Two

I Corinthians 15:35-44
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Pastor Randy Smith

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"Every human being," said C.S. Lewis, "is in the process of becoming a noble being; noble beyond imagination. Or else, alas, a vile being beyond redemption." Lewis challenges us to remember that "the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare." He goes on to say, "There are no ordinary people… It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors" (The Weight of Glory, p. 18-19).

What do you think he is getting at?

We spend a lot of time trying to improve ourselves. We pack our brains with information and beat our bodies into exhaustion. There is nothing wrong with trying to enhance our overall wellness. And with some determination we can achieve some success. Yet no matter how hard we exert ourselves, we cannot overcome a common enemy - time. As we age, the mind loses its sharpness and the body its attractiveness. Eventually our life comes to an end.

Yet is this the end of our bodies? Have you ever wondered what you will look like in the life hereafter? As C.S. Lewis said (and the Bible affirms), every soul and body will exist eternally in one of two places. The Bible is fairly quiet about what a body looks like in hell, but it has quite a lot to say about how the body will look heaven.

This is our seventh sermon in an eight-part series on heaven. Last week we explored what heaven looks like. Today we will explore what we will look like in heaven if we are in Christ Jesus. Discouraged about the deterioration of your earthly body? I trust this message will encourage you!

1. THE PLAN

Three parts to today's message regarding our heavenly bodies: The plan, the process and the picture. We begin with "the plan."

As we covered a few weeks ago, a Christian upon death goes to be with the Lord immediately. And while their soul enjoys all the blessings of heaven, we have been to enough funerals to know they are separated from their body. Whether laid to rest in the ground or cremated, the body remains here on earth - soul in heaven, body on earth. That's a problem.

To be a disembodied spirit for an eternity is not part of God's perfect plan. Let's remember that God affirmed the goodness of the material world when He first created it and pronounced it "very good" (Gen. 1:31). And when God made us the pinnacle of creation and stamped upon us His image, He gave us physical bodies. It was the curse of sin that brought this unnatural separation. And it is the victory achieved by Jesus on the cross that will again unite body and soul. As I have said repeatedly, if the curse is not completely overturned, Satan will have the final word. When we die there is a resurrection of the soul (positionally we are already resurrected once regenerated - Eph. 2:6) and when Christ returns there will also be a resurrection of the body, a body that will never be subject again to weakness, aging or death.

You have heard the lines at a graveside service: "For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God of His great mercy to take unto Himself the soul of this child here departed, we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body of our low estate, that it may be like unto His glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself" (The Proposed Book of Common Prayer, 1928).

Listen to 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep [bodily in the grave], but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed" (cf. 1 Thes. 4:13-18).

The ancient Greeks in biblical times had a problem with the physical body. Going back to Plato they considered anything spiritual to be good and anything physical to be evil. To them, the body was a tomb in which their souls were shackled. To them, salvation was to be forever released from our physical bodies (cf. Ac. 17:32). The idea of a resurrected body throughout eternity was repugnant.

Corinth was a city in Greece, and the Corinthian church ascribed to this way of thinking. But what was promoted in their culture enraged the heart of the apostle Paul. He knew that denying the resurrection of our physical bodies put into questions the whole essence of our Christian faith.

We read beginning in verse 12 of chapter 15 in 1 Corinthians: "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:12-19).

The resurrection of the body is essential to the Christian faith. To deny it is heresy (cf. 2 Tim. 2:16-18).

So could Paul be any clearer than he was in verse 32? "If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

We will get resurrected bodies. God's plan is to redeem us soul…and body. We also need resurrected bodies. Verse 50, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." We need new bodies fit for their heavenly environment. Therefore we should look forward to our resurrected bodies. Listen to Paul's heart from 2 Corinthians 5: "For we know that if the earthly [body] which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this [body] we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked." (2 Cor. 5:1-3). In Romans 8:23 he adds, "Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body" (cf. Rom. 8:11).

2. THE PROCESS

So we will get a new body in heaven. This will not be a new body made of completely different materials whereby we lose the physical characteristics we displayed on earth. As I said earlier, it will be a resurrection of our present bodies, one in which the old earthly body is transformed and glorified.

Now I am sure that raised a lot of questions such as, "But what about someone who died at sea and their body disintegrated and was consumed by thousands of marine animals?" Let's go to the second point, "the process."

"To be absent from the body [is] to be at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). Upon death our existence continues, and we enjoy the immediate presence of God. We will be able to relate to Christ and each other. We will have full consciousness and full command of our faculties. Our bodies remain in the ground as we inhabit heaven as disembodied spirits (although some suggest God gives us temporary bodies (cf. Rev. 6:9-10). Theologians call this the "intermediate state."

Then when the Lord returns the Bible teaches that "the dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thes. 4:16). Then those in Christ who remain will be changed "in the twinkling of the eye" (1 Cor. 15:52). In other words, at the Second Coming all in Christ whether in heaven or on earth will receive their resurrected bodies. Philippians 3 puts it like this: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Phil. 3:20-21; cf. Jn. 5:25-29).

So we come back to the burning questions: Why not just start with fresh materials? And if the body is resurrected, how does this happen? How can God take what has decomposed in the ground or disintegrated in a fire and make it more glorious than it was originally?

These questions are nothing new. The Corinthians also struggled with the same thoughts. In 1 Corinthians 15:35 they asked, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?" In response, Paul answers in the following verses: "You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own" (1 Cor. 15:36-38; cf. Jn. 12:24).

We are approaching the season of tulips. Tulips are a gorgeous flower when they bloom, but have you ever studied a tulip bulb? Definitely not the most attractive piece in the world! If you had no knowledge of a tulip, would you ever believe that this gnarly bulb when placed in the ground could months later produce a beautiful living flower?

Do you think a peach pit could imagine being the seed of hundreds of delicious peaches or a coconut being the seed of a beautiful tree swaying in the ocean breeze or a tiny acorn being the seed of a tree taller than a building with heavy branches and thousands of leaves?

Consider going to a funeral for a caterpillar; all his bug friends hovering over the casket shedding their tears at the loss of their loved one. But fluttering over their heads is the stunning butterfly saying, "Look up everybody. Check me out now!" Who would have ever imagined?

God has given us wonderful illustrations in nature as to how He is able to resurrect and transform. The genetic code is already there. The decomposition of one facilitates the remaking of the new. The resemblance remains, but the glory is intensified. Paul concludes this way in verses 42-44, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body."

The Bible teaches a doctrine of the resurrection of the body. How it will happen, I cannot be certain. Will God pull together all our molecules? Maybe it will simply be our DNA. I read this week that if all the DNA were collected from the five billion presently inhabiting planet it would be the approximate size of two aspirin tablets (Tada, Heaven, p. 37). Does God need every part of our body to resurrect it? I don't know. Furthermore, I am not materially the same person that I was years ago. We all learned in science class that cells are replaced every three and a half years. We know we are sixty-percent water. What really makes my body what it is?

There is a mystery, but we can be certain that we will get new bodies that will be a resurrection of the old bodies.

Let's go to the third point and examine what they will look like and how we will be transformed spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically. The English Puritan Richard Baxter said, "God is the same God in heaven as on earth, but I shall not be the same man." Let's see how we will be different.

3. THE PICTURE

Spiritual Properties

First, how will we be different spiritually in heaven?

As we have said already in this series, heaven will be a place of perfect righteousness. The moment we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us and naturally gives us a desire for holiness. This desire is true for all Christians. As we will learn this Wednesday night in the fourth beatitude: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Mt. 5:6). We hunger for it now, but fall short (Rom. 7:14-24). When will we achieve it? When will we be perfectly holy in a perfectly holy environment? When will we be satisfied? Answer: in heaven!

God is in the process of conforming us to Christ (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18). The process is underway now and will be completed when we cross the threshold of heaven. When we believe in Jesus we receive instant justification. This life is one of sanctification. In heaven we will receive glorification.

It has been said that Christ's sacrifice on the cross delivered us from sin's damnation (Rom. 8:1) and domination (Rom. 6:14). We will realize the full benefits in heaven when we are delivered from sin's domain (2 Pet. 3:13). Or we can say we have experienced deliverance from sin's penalty and power. In heaven we will be delivered from sin's presence.

In 1 John 3:2 we read, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."

In heaven our desire for sin will be removed, our temptations and the Tempter will be abolished, our affections for God will be heightened and therefore our spiritual life will be sweeter than ever. Joni Eareckson Tada who was paralyzed as a youth in a swimming accident said in her book on heaven, "I won't be crippled by distractions. Disabled by insincerity. I won't be handicapped by a ho-hum halfheartedness. My heart will join with yours and bubble over with effervescent adoration. We will finally be able to fellowship fully with the Father and the Son" (Heaven, p. 41).

Intellectual Properties

We will be changed intellectually as well. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 we read, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."

In heaven our minds will be sharper and our learning disabilities will be removed. There will be no confusion. Like the angels (1 Pet. 1:12) we will keep learning. Yet since we will remain finite, we will never completely exhaust knowing our infinite God. We will come to a better appreciation for His grace (Eph. 2:7). I believe we will understand why God permitted the trials in our lives. Now we walk by faith. Then I believe we will get to see the other side of the tapestry and the beautiful picture God wove with our lives.

Emotional Properties

Emotionally we will have perfect peace. The Bible says in heaven, "[God] will wipe away every tear from [our] eye[s]" (Rev. 21:4; cf. 7:17). Is it because God will explain why He permitted the pain or is it because we will understand the good that came out of the pain (Rom. 8:28) or it because we are so overwhelmed with His love that in His presence all the pain is instantly removed? Maybe the first two, definitely the latter! I tend to think we will retain our earthly memories (they won't be wiped clean like some alien movie), but like stars vanishing by the rising of the sun, the sorrow will be eclipsed with inexpressible joy.

In heaven there will be perfect joy. Nothing like the earth with a little joy always mixed with sorrow and disappointment. Jesus even said heaven is "enter[ing] into the joy of your master" (Mt. 25:21). Don't be deceived in thinking heaven is just enjoying what you enjoy now. Expect new vistas to be opened you cannot even imagine. The Psalmist said, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psm. 16:11).

Your emotions will experience perfect rest (Rev. 14:13) and perfect justice (Rev. 6:9-10) and perfect comfort (Lk. 16:25). And how can we omit perfect love (1 Cor. 13:13)? God is love (1 Jn. 4:8), and there will be perfect love among all the community in heaven. One author said, "The closest relationship on earth will perhaps become a sweet memory in heaven, but will be totally eclipsed by the glory of a new relationship there" (Don Baker, Heaven, p. 30). All this is true because in heaven we will better know "the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge" (Eph. 3:19).

Physical Properties

And as for our physical appearance? I believe the best way to understand the physical properties of our new resurrected bodies is to look at the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. Philippians 3 confirms that God "will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory" (Phil. 3:21; cf. 1 Cor. 15:20, 23, 49).

When Jesus appeared to His disciples it was the same Jesus that left them (Ac. 1:11). He was not a spirit being floating around (Lk. 24:39), but rather a real person who could be touched and handled (Mt. 28:9; Lk. 24:39; 1 Jn. 1:1). He retained His gender (Jn. 20:15; Ac. 10:41). He was able to eat with the disciples (Jn. 21:13). Even His wounds from the crucifixion were still visible (Jn. 20:27).

It was the same body (remember the grave was empty - Mt. 28:6), yet a body in a glorified state. And in that glorified state He had the ability to pass through walls (Jn. 20:19) and appear out of nowhere (Lk. 24:36). (Wayne Grudem warns us not to make too much of this (Systematic Theology, p. 610f). It seems He existed beyond the restrictions of time and space. And now when we read Revelation 1 we understand that His body is even more beautiful and brilliant in splendor. I do not think we will attain that level, but I can promise you that you will be very beautiful to match the beauty of your heavenly surroundings that we learned about last week. 1 Corinthians 15:43 says you will be "raised in glory." Jesus said, "The righteous will shine like the sun" (Mt. 13:43; cf. Dan. 12:3).

There are many unknowns about our heavenly bodies. I suppose if God told us everything, we wouldn't understand it anyway, second, it would ruin the surprise and third, no longer force us to walk by faith. Yet God did not leave us in the dark. He gave us the Scriptures, and in the Scriptures a glimpse of our heavenly bodies. And for me, that is enough to get me excited for my future home and motivate me to live on this earth all out for His glory.

Let me sing you a song of heaven,

Of the golden land on high

Where the heart shall find no sorrow,

And the breast shall know no sigh;

Where no wasting grief or sickness

Can assail those forms we love,

Where the blood-washed dwell forever

In their royal home above.

Oh! Home of the loved and loving

Where the heavenly praises ring,

I would that my lips could utter,

I would that my voice could sing

Of the bliss, the rapturous glory,

The rest and the joyful song,

That rolls like the sound of the ocean

From the glorious "white-robed" throng.

Home where the Bride in her glory,

The Bridegroom's joys shall share,

But deepest joy of her joying -

The Bridegroom Himself is there.

Glory! O glory of glories -

To gaze on His loving face,

And sing, till the wide hall echo

The marvels of matchless grace.

S. Trevor Francis